


Carnaval Miraculeux

by firegoddess1



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Blood and Violence, Carnival, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, Getting to Know Each Other, Graphic Description, Human Sacrifice, Magic, Minor Character Death, No Smut, Transformation, Voodoo, magician
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-05-28 01:59:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15038207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firegoddess1/pseuds/firegoddess1
Summary: (Inspired by Melanie Martinez's song Carousel)"It's all fun and games til somebody falls in love but you've already bought a ticket and there's no turning back now"Adrien Agreste is the only son of a affluent Parisian Vicomte who finds himself entering a world of magic and mystery after being dragged along by his best friend. This is where he meets the beautiful Miss Ladybug, a performer of the carnival. For him it's love at first sight. After a disagreement, Adrien makes a dangerous deal which he needs to make Miss Ladybug to fall in love with him in return before the end of Autumn.Will Adrien find a way to get out of his deal and will Miss Ladybug return his feelings? Read to find out!





	1. Opening Night

**Author's Note:**

> This was posted before but I wasn't too happy with how the chapters went so I'm revising them before I work on new chapters.
> 
> This fic is rated Explicit for future chapters. There will be no smut scenes at all.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Adrien sighed as his friend Nino forced him towards the site where the Carnaval Miraculeux resided. It was a carnival that came to Paris every Fall and Nino was desperate to bring him along for its opening night. Rumors about it was that there were freaks that were presented to the general public. “Nino, if my father finds out i’m at a freakshow, he will disown me” Adrien told his best friend “relax Vicomte Agreste, he won’t find out not unless you make a fuss about it” Nino grinned while Adrien only sighed. Nino Lahiffe had tanned skin, short brown hair under a newsboy hat and he had amber eyes. Despite his profession as a paperboy, Nino had a heart of gold.

Adrien Agreste was the son of a wealthy Vicomte named Gabriel Agreste and he was wasn't much of a father to his only son. Adrien resembled his mother Emilie more than his father with his golden blond hair and emerald green eyes and he also had inherited his mother's kindness from what he had been told by the maids. The two friends were both 22 years of age and were as close as brothers. As for Gabriel, he was a strict master of the mansion they lived in and he wore a luxury suit made only by the finest seamstresses in Paris. He was a tall man with combed back blonde hair and cold blue eyes. A pair of black glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Gabriel kept tabs on his son by means of his advisor Nathalie Sancoeur. Since he was a proud man, he didn’t like Adrien spending time with a paperboy like Nino, someone who was lower class than they were. Adrien only agreed to sneak out of the mansion was because Nino insisted on going to the first night of the carnival with him, something his father would have forbidden him to attend. As they walked, a gate with the words “Carnaval Miraculeux” came into view and Adrien knew there was no turning back.

“Welcome to the Carnaval Miraculeux, tickets are 10 francs each” the one who took care of the gate greeted with a wide smile “of course” Nino pulled out 20 francs and handed it to her “i could have paid my way in” Adrien protested “buy me some cotton candy and we will call it even” Nino smiled as they walked inside. The carnival had several large tents, there was one larger tent in the middle as well as games to play and food to eat. It looked more like a circus to Adrien and he mentioned that to Nino who nodded “i’ve been coming here every Fall and they do have circus acts here, their most prominent performers are only known as Rena Rouge, Queen Bee and Miss Ladybug. Quite the stage names right? An old man named Master Fu is the one in charge of this carnival” Nino explained as they walked on.

They walked through all the smaller tents when an announcer came out of the bigger tent “The show is about to begin!” “let’s go, you’ll see why this place is special” Nino told Adrien who sighed and went along with him. They sat down in the front row so Adrien could see the ring while Nino nibbled on the cotton candy Adrien had bought him. When everyone was seated, an old Asian man appeared out of nowhere almost startling Adrien. He wore a green magician’s outfit with a matching sequined top hat “Ladies and Gentlemen, I humbly welcome you to the opening night of Carnaval Miraculeux, I am Master Fu, Magician Extraordinaire. Now then, put your hands together as I present to you the mystifying mistresses of the stage, Rena Rouge and Queen Bee!” Master Fu gestured to the top of the tent. With the spotlight in their direction, Adrien saw that a couple of girls sitting on the hoops that were hanging down. What surprised him however was the fact that Rena Rouge had a fox’s tail and ears and Queen Bee had a pair of honey bee wings growing out of her back. Other than that, he couldn’t see their appearances clearly to tell what they looked like.

The rumors of there being freaks at this carnival were correct, he knew those weren’t fake props attached to their bodies. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee did tricks that Adrien hadn’t seen before before the Master Fu walked into the centre again “now for the one you’ve all been waiting for, Miss Ladybug!” Adrien looked at the tightrope and his breath hitched. A young woman who appeared to have ladybug wings under a thin shell gracefully walked the tightrope. Miss Ladybug flew up using her wings to join the others on the hoops and together they did acrobatic tricks that would have been difficult for anyone else until they landed gracefully on the ground at the end of their performance. Adrien could see their features clearly now, Rena Rouge had tan skin, golden eyes and her shoulder length hair was reddish-brown. She wore a brown sequined leotard which probably included a cut out in the back for the tail and over her eyes was a sequined mask to match. Queen Bee wore a similar outfit except for it being black and yellow. She had her blonde hair done up in a ponytail with was held up by a black satin ribbon. Two strands of the ribbon were supposed to give the illusion of antenna and she had blue eyes. Like Rena Rouge, Queen Bee had a sequined mask which was yellow around the eyes and black on the outside of the mask.

Miss Ladybug took his breath away with her appearance. Her hair which was styled in an updo was black almost blue and a pair of real antenna sat on the top of her head. Her eyes were a soft color of blue and she wore a red and black spotted sequined leotard with a matching chiffon skirt “thank you all for coming, enjoy the carnival’s opening night” the magician bowed as the crowd cleared out of the tent. “I see you are smitten with Miss Ladybug” Nino teased as they walked out into the carnival “no i’m not” Adrien turned away with a blush on his face “whatever you say, besides i wouldn’t if i were you anyways, i hear she’s involved with the stagehand whose name is Luka Couffaine” Nino warned “Luka Couffaine?” Adrien inquired “yes, his sister is with the carnival but she goes by the name of Reflekta” Nino went on to explain that the ones who had different names were born with supernatural abilities and that they were not accepted in society. Master Fu took all these outcasts in and gave them a place to belong.

“So what about those three girls?” Adrien asked “well i know they were runaways, they had loving families who accepted them for who they were but other people didn’t. I know Queen Bee’s father got death threats for keeping a freak in his house and he’s a Vicomte like your old man. Queen Bee got tired of it so she ran away and Master Fu found her” Nino told him. Nighttime fell fast and soon the carnival was closed “i’ll walk you back to the mansion, the least i can do for you” Nino smiled and put his hands in his pocket before walking in the direction of the Agreste Mansion “thank you, can you bring me back tomorrow?” Adrien asked “of course i can, the carnival doesn’t leave until the end of Fall” Nino grinned. Adrien wanted to see Miss Ladybug again since he wanted to meet her personally.


	2. People of the Carnival

After the lights were out on the carnival grounds, the residents were able to be themselves during this time. In the dressing room, Miss Ladybug dressed in a simple white summer dress while her wings moved slightly under the spotted shell on top of her dress and her long blue-black hair was styled into pigtails. Her real name was Marinette Dupain-Cheng and she was a skilled dancer who had a dream of learning at Paris Opera Ballet School in her heart. She knew that, unless they accepted someone like her, the chances of her becoming a student were extremely slim. While she danced during closing hours, Marinette realized that it had helped with her routines. Rena Rouge whose name was Alya Cesaire was dressed in a pink sailor’s dress with a cut out for her fox tail and she was busy brushing it since the fur gets matted without proper grooming.

Alya found that out the hard way a few times. “Lively crowd tonight” Alya commented “Alya, the only reason why it was lively because they want to see freaks perform” Queen Bee told her as she walked up to them. Without her costume, she was Chloe Bourgeois, a young woman who was both sweet and sour at times. Chloe dressed herself in a yellow and black striped dress that had a cutout for her wings “I’ll see you girls later” and with that she left the dressing room. The Evillustrator whose real name was Nathaniel Kurtzberg waited for his lover to be done in the dressing room. When she had appeared, he used his ability to draw anything and make it appear in reality to make a bouquet of roses. “For you, my dear” Nathaniel held the bouquet out for her which made Chloe giggle “you're so sweet” she took the roses and gave him a long passionate kiss. Her wings buzzed in excitement causing him to chuckle before pulling away from the kiss “you were magnificent as always” Nathaniel wrapped his arm around her and they walked off.

“Nice to see someone happy and in love” Alya commented as both of them witnessed the romantic scene “yeah i suppose so but then again, you have that paperboy” Marinette sighed and walked off which Alya followed after “Marinette, what’s wrong?” she asked her best friend “nothing, i just wish i had more to my life than this. Don't get me wrong, I love the carnival but it seems that love or my dream isn't in my reach” Alya understood where Marinette was coming from but at the same time she knew this place was the only place for people like them. The reason why Nino accepted and loved her was because of his good heart. “Good evening ladies” A man in a purple tuxedo and top hat greeted, he always wore a mask even after hours and behind him were a pair of silvery purple moth wings. Marinette hated the way he looked at her since it always reminded her of a spider smiling evilly before devouring its prey. 

His name was Hawkmoth, a master of dark voodoo magic “what do you want?” Alya demanded with a glare “ah ah ah, is that anyway to talk to someone who helped you Rena Rouge?” Hawkmoth smirked causing her to growl angrily “Alya, don’t bother with him” Marinette pleaded with her friend as she stared at him in fright “Hawkmoth! I told you to stay away from them, you’ve done enough damage to them already” Master Fu approached the scene. “Forgive me, Master Fu i’ll be going now” Hawkmoth bowed and walked away “i’m sorry about that, i promised he wouldn’t bother you and i’m not doing a good job” Master Fu sighed.

Master Fu was a true magician that started Carnaval Miraculeux in order to protect the outcasts of this world. He also had a sea turtle’s lifespan since he was 186 and a half. Everyone who lived in the carnival were worried about the day when Master Fu passes away because that meant that Hawkmoth could take over and turn it into a carnival of nightmares. They all knew the true cause of the horrible incident that happened seven years ago and if Hawkmoth took over the carnival, everyone knew he would do it again. “Don’t worry, Master Fu, Hawkmoth doesn’t scare me” Alya huffed then calmed down and she looked back at her trembling friend “can i talk to you about a routine i was thinking of trying?” Alya and Master Fu walked off leaving Marinette on her own. 

“Excellent performance tonight, Marinette” Luka smiled and gave her a single rose. Luka had teal eyes and brushed back black hair with teal dyed tips and he wore black pants, a white shirt with a dark blue vest overtop “thank you Luka” Marinette smiled gently and took the rose. Luka then leaned over and kissed Marinette’s forehead before he walked away to check on the lights. He may not have been born with supernatural powers but he was here to look after his sister and Marinette thought he was the sweetest brother to do that. When they met, Marinette had developed a small crush on him but it faded as she got older. Now she just thought of them as good friends. Marinette opened the shell protecting her wings and soon she was flying above the tents to her favorite spot to practice her dancing. It had a perfect view of the Paris Opera Ballet School which fueled her desire to attend it.

Marinette’s dances were a mix of ballet, twirls and spins as well as a few aerobatic moves added in. It was something she loved doing and nothing could stop her. After she was done, Marinette took a look at the ballet school like she always did before she floated down gracefully and walked into her tent. When she got there, Marinette plopped down on her bed where her thoughts about love got to her unexpectedly. Everyone in this place had someone to love. Chloe had Nathaniel, Alya had the pageboy named Nino even Rose aka Princess Fragrance and Juleka were a couple. Luka was nice but he wasn’t really her type “i wish there was someone out there for me” Marinette whispered sadly as sleep took her over.

Morning came and Marinette gathered in the tent used for meals, the only one who didn’t eat in the tent was Hawkmoth who had his meals delivered to him “good morning, Marinette” Master Fu smiled as he continued to read the newspaper “good morning” Alya waved at Marinette so she walked over and sat down next to her best friend. “Now that everyone is here, i wanted to go over the daily chores before the carnival opens up for the evening. Rose, Juleka your jobs are to feed the animals, we won’t have time to feed them once the carnival is opened” the two nodded “Luka, prepare the performance tent and make sure the lights are working” Master Fu went on with the list of jobs for everyone until he got to the three of them “Alya, Marinette, Chloe practice your routines, i felt that last night was a bit off not by much, I need the routine perfect before the day of Halloween” “yes sir” the three girls said in unison.

Everyone got to work on their chores after they were assigned. Marinette saw Kim helping Ivan with the heavy lifting. Not that Ivan needed help since he was born with super strength earning him the name “StoneHeart” by the carnival. Ivan was a large man with short black hair and a tuft of it dyed blonde for some reason. He never seemed to smile but Marinette saw it once when he was with his lover. As for Le Chien Kim, he was convinced he was born with a curse than a gift. From what Marinette had heard, Kim accidentally and unknowingly used his ability when he was ten causing his parents to divorce as well as make the girl he loved more than life itself, hate him.

Shortly after that, Kim ran away and that's when Master Fu found him and brought him to the carnival. He then gave Kim the nickname of Dark Cupid. At night, Kim meditates so he can control his abilities so that he doesn't hurt anyone again . He was tall lad who was muscular due to his help around the carnival. Kim had tanned skin, dark brown eyes and black hair with blonde ends which he styles himself. He also may help Ivan but it didn't mean they were friends. Rose was a sweet petite girl with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes who could produce perfume from her hands which could control people’s moods or make them do what she wanted. Her ability was the reason her nickname was Princess Fragrance. As for Juleka, her ability could create reflections of people or herself which is why she was named Reflekta. She had long black hair and copper colored eyes. Ivan was involved with a young woman who stayed in her private tent at night due to her ability to turn into a horrifying monster when the sun went down. Her name was Mylene but her nickname was The Horrificator, Mylene loved Halloween since she could be herself. Mylene was a short plump woman while she appeared human with golden brown eyes and blonde hair. She was always seen in a brown dress and matching boots.

There were other residents but either Marinette didn’t see them or they worked in the background of the carnival. The reason for the nicknames were to protect everyone, if their families found out they were here, they’d be taken away. The three performers practiced their routine in the tent as Luka worked on getting the stage set up. There was one trick that Marinette had trouble doing which were ballet moves on the tightrope. When she was up on the platform, Marinette inhaled her fear then exhaled it before stepping out on the tightrope. Whenever she went on it, she had to wear a pair of ballet slippers so she wouldn’t get hurt. As soon as Marinette tried to do ballet on the tightrope, she lost her balance and fell “Mari!” Alya called out when she saw her best friend fall. If it wasn’t for the fact that she had wings, Marinette would have been in trouble but since she did, the wings opened up and she glided gently to the ground.

“You keep practicing that move but it fails everytime” Master Fu walked up with his arms behind his back “i know someday i’ll get it, i can’t give up” Marinette told him “i know, you’ve got that stubborn spirit” he smiled and walked away. 

The sun was starting to set and soon the gates of the carnival would be opened to the public so after they were done practicing, Marinette, Chloe and Alya went into the dressing room to put on their costumes. “How packed do you think it will be tonight?” Alya asked as she gently brought her tail through the cutout in her costume “not too sure but remember those seats are always packed” Chloe answered as she put her hair up in the silk ribbon “it will be fine, i don’t mind it being busy besides if it is, we can show off our tricks” Marinette grinned as she put on the mask. Soon they were ready for their performance. The lanterns in the carnival were lit and the gates were opened. At the front of the line was a green eyed, blonde haired boy along with the paperboy.


	3. Meeting Miss Ladybug

As soon as the gates were open, Adrien paid his way into the carnival then with a bouquet of roses in his hand, he made his way to the performers tent until Nino stopped him “wait a minute, where do you think you're going?” Nino asked as he clutched onto the back of the vested shirt that Adrien wore. “I'm going to see Miss Ladybug” Adrien answered in a bit of a hurried manner and Nino shook his head “first off relax and second she's probably getting ready for the show” Adrien sighed as he looked at the beautiful flowers he was holding “I just wanted to give these to her” “well if we find Master Fu, he can give these to her” Nino told him.

They walked a bit until they found the same old man who was in charge of the performance walking along the tents. “Excuse me, Master Fu?” Adrien asked “yes, what may i do for you, lad?” he inquired “can you bring these roses as well as the note to Miss Ladybug? I'm a fan” Adrien smiled “very well, the show will be starting in 15 minutes” Master Fu smiled back and walked towards the performance tent with the gift in his hands.

“Marinette, these are for you” Master Fu informed her as he walked through the door of the dressing room “aw, thanks, you shouldn't have bought me roses” Marinette smiled “as much as I think you three girls deserve roses, this bouquet is not from me” Master Fu handed the roses to Marinette before leaving. Alya took the note from the flowers and read it out loud;

_“Dear Miss Ladybug_

_I saw you perform yesterday and thought you were the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I wish to meet you after the performance tonight, I will be the only one left in the tent._

_Sincerely_  
_A fan”_

Marinette blushed slightly at the note as her friends looked at her with their mouths hanging open. “Quit staring at me” she mumbled “I wonder who it could be” Alya wondered “maybe a serial killer, perhaps there's a new Jack the Ripper who targets carnival freaks” Chloe teased “Ooh, it has been 32 years and he never was caught for the murders, maybe it's the old one and he's made his way to Paris, now on the hunt for defenseless young performers” Alya added as she laughed.

“Girls this isn't something to be joking about, what if he is a killer?” Marinette wondered as her wings buzzed with her anxiety “then you'll have to wait and see for yourself” Alya placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. Adrien sat in the front row again hoping that she got his note while Nino ate the popcorn that he had bought from one of the stands. “Put your hands together for the Dazzling MIstresses of Carnaval Miraculeux!” Master Fu announced when he appeared in the ring. Adrien watched as the three girls put on a spectacular show causing the crowd to watch with anticipation.

After the show, everyone left except for him “he's the only one in the tent, that has to be the one who wants to meet me” Marinette told Luka behind the curtain as she still had her costume on “want me to come with you?” Luka asked her “if you don't mind” Marinette answered still afraid. Luka gave Marinette a comforting smile and walked her to the man. Marinette thought the man was incredibly handsome with his golden blonde hair and green eyes. When they were close, Marinette cleared her throat causing him to look at her. When their eyes met, Marinette felt a spark ignite inside of her.

 _“Get yourself together Marinette, he's just another fan”_ she thought to herself “are you the one who wanted to meet me?” Marinette asked “yes, a pleasure to meet you Miss Ladybug” Adrien answered as he stood up “this is Luka Couffine, our stagehand” Adrien turned to look at him “nice to meet you” “likewise, I'm gonna go and check stuff backstage, I'll see you later” Luka bowed and left them alone.

“Do you have to stay in costume or are you allowed to change into normal clothes?” Adrien asked “I only change out after the carnival is closed” Marinette answered “that's too bad, I would have liked to see the beauty under the mask and makeup” Adrien grinned which caused her to laugh “alright, i would go change but I'm bring being lazy right now" Marinette smiled and sat down when he patted the seat beside him. “Why did you want to meet me?” she asked “I was curious about you” he looked at the wings behind her back and cleared his throat “sorry if I'm forward but were you born with your wings?” Adrien inquired which Marinette laughed. Her laugh reminded Adrien of the chime of soft bells against the breeze “we haven't even introduced ourselves and you are already asking personal questions” she giggled.

“Right, my name is Adrien, just Adrien” “ok Just Adrien, you know me as Miss Ladybug but you can call me Marinette and to answer your question, yes I was born with these wings” she smiled as they took turns asking and answering questions. “You want to be a dancer at the Opera?” Adrien inquired which made her giggle “yes, it's always been my dream to learn at the famous ballet school here in Paris. Actually, at night I practice dance routines and I implement them into my performances, what about you? What's your dream?” Marinette tilted her head as she looked at him “oh wow, nobody's asked me that before, um well I guess I wanted to be a university professor or a doctor, I've had enough tutelage for that after all” Adrien answered. Marinette smiled gently “you definitely seem like you have the heart to be whatever you wish” “thank you, my father thinks otherwise” Adrien sighed.

“Your father doesn't see what a wonderful man you are” Marinette told him softly “I know, I wish he knew” they both looked into eachothers eyes and she looked away out of embarrassment “it's getting late, the carnival gates will be closing soon” Marinette stood up, her cheeks flushed “it was wonderful to meet you, Adrien” “likewise, Marinette” he watched as she walked away, disappearing into the deeper part of the tent.


	4. A Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains abuse and violence

Over the next month, Adrien snuck out on his lessons to go to the carnival. He couldn't get enough of the beautiful creature with ladybug wings but Nino had warned Adrien not to get involved. “Aren’t you involved with Rena Rouge?” Adrien asked teasingly “yes but that’s besides the point, there is so many rumors about Miss Ladybug that it’s not even funny” Nino sighed as he leaned back into his chair “such as?” Adrien tilted his head “well i told you one rumor where she and Luka are together. It’s not true of course, he does like her but not romantically. There’s even one saying she’s involved with Hawkmoth, the master of voodoo” Nino and Adrien made a face at the same time.

“So i can’t get close to her?” Adrien sighed “of course you can, those rumors are said by jealous patrons but you need to remember this: Miss Ladybug only comes to Paris from the Fall Equinox to the Winter Equinox. After that final day, she’s gone not to return until next year. Things may change between you two, me and Rena Rouge are still going strong because we write to eachother. You don’t exactly have the same freedom as me” Nino explained “i know and you're right, i just need to make the most of my time with her” Adrien smiled.

Alya smirked knowingly at Marinette who was brushing her hair and getting ready before the carnival opened. “What are you smiling at?” she asked with a grin of her own as she looked into the mirror at her friend “oh nothing except that boy keeps coming around, i think he’s sweet on you” Alya snickered after that “oh hush, he’s just curious about a freak, probably never saw one up close before since he tells me that his father is a tyrant and that it's stressful at home” Marinette sighed. She hoped Adrien would come again tonight, she couldn’t deny that she loved seeing him sitting in the front row of the tent. Adrien always made Marinette want to try her best on her routines and it would be a lie if she said that it didn’t mean the world to her.

That night, Adrien got dressed in his usual attire and snuck out of the mansion thinking he wouldn’t be caught. He was wrong however. His father knew his son was leaving in the evening and coming back late at night. His suspicions were correct however as he had caught him in the act just now. Gabriel could also see the signs during Adrien’s lessons like yawning and trying not to sleep during the lectures. “Nathalie” she came over since she was standing behind him “yes sir?” “i want you to inform me the moment Adrien gets home, if he’s to be the next in line to my title he needs to be taught that this isn’t the behavior a Vicomte should have” Gabriel informed her “very well sir” Nathalie bowed her head and watched as her employer walked towards his office. “Adrien, what have you done?” Nathalie whispered as she walked away.

After the show, Marinette met with Adrien again after being requested “you always come here to see me, why is that?” she asked him “why wouldn’t i? You are fascinating and i’ve never met someone with so much passion before” Adrien answered which caused Marinette to giggle. “Are any of the rumors true like the one between you and Luka or you and the voodoo master?” Adrien asked in seriousness and she looked away “no those are rumors spread by attendees who are jealous of me. Me and Luka are friends, sure when i first met him, i had a crush on him but as i got older it faded away. As for me and Hawkmoth, don’t get me started on that bloody bastard, i don’t ever want to be involved with him ever again” her hand clenched into a fist on her lap.

Something did indeed happen between them both but Adrien knew better than to ask since they had just met. “I’ve been hearing a lot about this carnival turning into a Halloween Festival next month, what is that about?” Adrien asked trying to change the subject. It worked since she turned her head to smile at him “that’s my favorite day of the carnival, the vendors sell halloween treats and drinks while the residents of the carnival try to scare the patrons. Me, Rena Rouge and Queen Bee put on the show like nothing ever seen before which is why we practice the routine during the daytime. Everyone knows the scares are just good fun and one of our residents can actually be herself” Marinette explained “I can't wait until I see for myself” Adrien smiled.

Adrien made it back to the mansion after the carnival had closed but when he was inside, his father appeared out of nowhere to backhand him across the face causing Adrien to fall to the marble floor. “How dare you make a mockery of our family name” Gabriel hissed “what do you mean?” Adrien asked feigning innocence as he stood up “you know what I mean!” Gabriel slammed his son to the wall causing him to lose his breath. His father clutched at his throat nearly choking him “Carnaval Miraculeux, you've been sneaking out to see one of those freaks. You think I want see you take one of those things as your future bride?!” Gabriel growled out. Adrien looked into his cold blue eyes and felt fear rise in him. “F-f-f-father, no one knew who I was!” Adrien managed to say “silence!” Gabriel hissed out as he glared down at Adrien.

“Sir, stop it!” Nathalie pleaded out of fear for Adrien's life “why should I? He has disgraced himself and in doing so, he has disgraced me” Gabriel told her as he squeezed his hand tighter around Adrien's neck causing him to cough. “What would Madame Emilie think if she saw you choking the son she gave her life for to death?” Nathalie asked him defiantly.

Gabriel let go but threw Adrien to the ground where he began to violently cough. He looked at his father with hate as he slowly got up “get out of my sight Adrien, you are never to leave this mansion again” Gabriel walked off in silent anger.

Later that night in his room, Adrien had made a rope out of his blankets and bed curtains so he could escape after he was done crying. After almost being killed by his own father, he didn't want to stay in the mansion any longer despite his father's demands. After securing the handmade rope to his bedpost, Adrien climbed out his window. It was a treacherous climb but as soon as his feet touched the concrete, he ran away.

Adrien's goal was to join the carnival and completely erase his name as an Agreste heir. If Master Fu let him join the carnival, Adrien could slowly try to get Marinette to fall in love with him


	5. A Deal with the Devil

The streets of Paris during the night was a bit frightening to Adrien but it was the price he paid for running away. He made his way through the dark empty streets with a sigh “i wonder if i can spend the night at Nino’s place then go to the carnival grounds” Adrien wondered but seeing how it was late at night, it would be difficult. Adrien felt like he was being followed all of a sudden so he ran through the streets hoping to get away from whoever was behind him.

He hid behind some crates and waited for the person to walk past but instead of a person, it was just a black cat who had walked into the alleyway where Adrien was, meowing in greeting with its golden eyes watching him from the darkness. Adrien came out of hiding and looked at the cat “you scared me, i thought you were some kind of criminal, do you belong to someone?” he asked it while petting its black fur, it nuzzled into his hand and a smile played upon his lips. Adrien heard a throaty purr from the stray cat which eased his fear. A sinister chuckle brought Adrien out of what he was doing while the black cat hissed and ran away “it seems like you have a knack for attracting the most unlucky of creatures, don’t you?” A man with purple moth wings appeared and he wore a purple tuxedo,top hat and mask “who are you?” Adrien demanded “i am Hawkmoth, voodoo master of Carnaval Miraculeux at your service” Hawkmoth bowed.

Adrien felt like running away since this was the one who hurt Marinette somehow but he also felt compelled to stay. “What do you want?” Adrien inquired “I wanted to speak with you since i have been watching you for the past month, i see that you are quite smitten with Miss Ladybug. I can tell that you are no ordinary boy either, son of Gabriel Agreste and heir to the title of Vicomte” Hawkmoth smirked “how did you…?” Adrien took a step back “there is nothing in the carnival that i don’t know about, i figured it out using my abilities but i don’t wish to hurt you. I want to offer you a deal” Hawkmoth started “what kind of deal?” Adrien knew he was asking too many questions but he had to know. “I can erase your family name and make you your own person without your father weighing you down. You would be able to join the carnival and Miss Ladybug will be yours” Hawkmoth smirked “what would you get out of it?” Adrien wondered “we can get to that later, this is my one time offer” Hawkmoth stretched out his arm for Adrien to shake.

The offer was too seductive to ignore so knowing that it was foolish, Adrien shook the voodoo man’s hand. Instead of letting go of Adrien’s hand, purple smoke began circling down Hawkmoth’s arm until it got to Adrien. The smoke enveloped Adrien who then fell to one knee and he found it hard to breathe. What was noticeable however was the headache on the top of his head and over his eyes as well as a pain coming from his tailbone “you are soon going to discover what you have agreed to, you cannot return to who you were unless my conditions are met. If you wish to know what they are, find me and i will tell you everything” the voice vanished and Adrien became disoriented.

Adrien stumbled through the streets of Paris not knowing where he was going. He saw some women walking down the street and when he tried to ask them for help, they screamed “ahh! What’s a freak doing here?! Why isn’t it locked up like the others?!” were their cries. Adrien didn’t like what he heard and ran away from the screaming women in order to avoid having the police called on him. He kept running until he fell down somewhere completely exhausted. With the night’s events draining him of his energy, Adrien fell fast asleep.

Adrien woke up sometime later as he felt someone petting his head and he found he liked it. “Poor kitty, you’ve had a hard night haven't you?” Adrien slowly opened his eyes to the familiar voice and saw Marinette sitting beside him and that she wasn’t wearing her mask. He thought she looked beautiful, even more beautiful without the carnival glamour “good morning, nice to see your awake minou” she smiled, stood up and walked away “no please don’t go” Adrien pleaded in a weak quiet voice but it didn’t work since he saw her leave the tent.

Marinette came back along with Master Fu a few moments later “my dear, can you leave us for a moment?” he asked her “of course” Marinette left again to give them privacy.

“So then Adrien, i see you’ve gotten yourself in a bit of a pickle” Master Fu started “what do you mean?” Adrien asked weakly, Master Fu conjured up a mirror to let the boy see what he meant. Adrien gasped when he saw his reflection. Above his head were a pair of black cat ears while his human ones had vanished, his green irises became slitted like a cat’s eye and over his eyes was a patch of black fur giving the illusion of a mask. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a black tail twitching behind him. Adrien dropped the mirror and hissed in fright, the tail becoming big and fluffy along with catlike growls erupting from his throat. Master Fu noticed that Adrien’s top canines were sharpened to points and his nails became claws. “Calm down Adrien, i can explain everything” Adrien listened to the old man but he didn’t calm down “you’ve been turned into a half cat, i believe I know how but i don’t know why” Master Fu sighed “can you fix this?” Adrien asked as he tried to calm down “no, unfortunately I cannot, this is voodoo magic and only Hawkmoth can fix it or make it worse” he told the scared man “what i can do though is until your situation is fixed i will allow you to stay here in the carnival, you will be required to do chores and other stuff but that’s the only way” Master Fu explained.

“Very well, i agree” Adrien sighed as his ears drooped a little “then it’s settled oh and since you shouldn't use your real name around here, i think you should go with Chat Noir” Master Fu smiled and left to set up a tent for Adrien to live in. This was his home until he was back to normal but Adrien wanted to talk with Hawkmoth to see what his so called “conditions” were but that could come later as all Adrien wanted to do was sleep.


	6. Consequences of the deal

After Adrien slept, Master Fu gave him the rundown on how things were done in the carnival. Adrien learned that all the heavy lifting were done by the one he referred to as Stoneheart while Dark Cupid assisted. The two were also responsible for pitching the tents and taking them down.

Master Fu saw Nathaniel and Chloe walk up and waved in greeting while Adrien saw that she wasn't wearing her mask. He found her kind of pretty without it “Master, we were wondering if you'd let me do some illusions during the Halloween performance and… oh hello there, you must be new here” Nathaniel smiled and stretched out his hand. Adrien shook it hesitantly “Evillustrator, Queen Bee, this is Chat Noir. Miss Ladybug found him outside the gates asleep and brought him in” Master Fu explained. “It's very nice to meet you” Chloe bowed her head “I'll hear you out in my tent, Chat Noir please don't go far” Adrien watched as the three disappeared into an ornate tent.

A lot of the residents passing by stared curiously at Adrien but he found it somewhat comforting unlike the screams of the women. After a while, he looked around only to see a black and purple wagon behind one of the tents. Adrien walked up to it and knocked on the door “what do you want, I'm getting things ready for tonight” Adrien's ear twitched as he recognized the voice.

Adrien knocked again and this time it opened to reveal Hawkmoth glaring down at him with cold steel blue eyes behind the mask. The expression softened into an evil smirk “I see you've managed to make your way here, come in” Adrien climbed up the stairs into the wagon. Once he was inside, Hawkmoth closed the door “what did you do to me?” Adrien demanded “You wanted to erase your name, I did that since no one will recognize you with how you are right now. You wanted to join the carnival and I helped by turning you into a half cat. If you ask me, I gave you everything you wanted” Hawkmoth sat down. “It's not what i wanted, i just wanted to be a normal man not this!” Adrien shouted “well I suppose I could reverse it but then again I like the idea of you having to work for it” Hawkmoth drank out of the teacup on the small table beside the chair.

“What are your conditions? You said there were some” Adrien asked which caused Hawkmoth to chuckle “eager aren't we? Very well, if you want the transformation lifted then you need to make Miss Ladybug fall in love with you before the Winter equinox, the day the carnival leaves Paris. If you succeed, the spell will be broken but if you fail, I will turn you into a full black cat and you'll be forced to live as my familiar. You will not return to being human at all, I'll even send a message to your father claiming you were murdered and that your body was thrown into the Seine. Do you accept these conditions?” Hawkmoth looked at Adrien.

“I-i-i accept” Adrien stammered as he hung his head “very well, our contract has been sealed with your acceptance. Before you leave, I'll give you this as a little self benefit” Hawkmoth held out a black collar “a collar? How would that help you?” Adrien glared “this collar is infused with my magic. If you step out of line, not only will I know about it but also the collar will punish you for your actions” Hawkmoth smirked and then snapped his fingers making the collar disappear.

Adrien looked into the mirror to find the collar had appeared on his neck and when he tried to take it off, it shocked him. Hawkmoth walked up to him then he hooked his index finger around the front part of the collar and yanked Adrien closer to him “now you truly belong to me” he whispered to the young man before letting him go. Adrien then turned around and was about to leave when Hawkmoth spoke up again “Oh and one more thing, you are forbidden to say your real name to Miss Ladybug or tell anyone about this deal. If you do, I will consider our agreement null and void and I will turn you into a full cat.”

With nothing more to say, Adrien left the wagon only to meet a disapproving look from Master Fu. “What have you done?” was the magician’s only question. Master Fu was no old fool because by using his magic, he had heard everything that was said in the wagon.

Adrien followed Master Fu to his tent and saw that there were plenty of magical artifacts collected from years of traveling. “Hawkmoth cannot hear or do anything to you while you are here so rest assured” Master Fu told him as he sat down, Adrien lightly touched the collar “if you are worried about that then don't, the magic I cast on this tent renders it useless” Adrien sighed gently as he sat down as well but his cat ears were flattened against his head out of fear. “I hope you know that you have made a very dangerous deal with Hawkmoth” Master Fu started “yes l do know, it was incredibly stupid of me” Adrien sighed once again.

“There is a creed that I heavily follow. It's to protect your family and friends no matter the cost. Everyone that lives here I consider my children. I keep them safe and in return, they try their best at what they do. The reason for my creed is that I had failed to protect the one person who was precious to me six years ago. I will say this though as a warning: if Marinette doesn't accept you as Chat Noir then you are the only one I won't be able to protect from Hawkmoth since he doesn't play around” Master Fu told him “I understand, sir” Adrien looked down.

After they were done talking, Master Fu led Adrien to the tent he would be staying in. It was filled with oversized cat toys and a scratching post as well as a small bed and dresser “you may have catlike tendencies so I kept that in mind” Adrien smiled “thank you” Master Fu looked deep in thought “i wonder if I should create something to keep you occupied if you go into heat” Adrien looked at the magician in horror “w-w-w-what?!” Master Fu ignore the horror struck boy “Oh well i guess I'll figure it out eventually, feel free to get comfortable and try to work on your new persona” with that, he walked away.

Adrien heard an amused laughter and he looked to see that it belonged to Rena Rouge “don't worry about Master Fu too much, he's a jokester at times” she told him. “My real name is Alya if it makes it easier for you” “you're Nino’s girl” Adrien looked at her with a surprised look on his face “How do you know Nino?” Alya asked while placing her hands on her hips “Oh I know a man who’s best friends with Nino” Alya smiled wide “that would be Adrien then, I hear he's in love with Marinette and I think she's sweet on him too without realizing it” Alya talked with him for a few more minutes before leaving to practice.

Adrien went to the mirror and mussed up his hair a little bit to make it look scraggly then he decided to practice puns. He wanted to change from a mild mannered young man to a suave, confident and seductive tomcat. Master Fu later in the day sent over a black tuxedo with a golden bell sewn on where a tie or bow would be but it would hide the collar on his neck. Adrien noticed that there was a cut out in the pants for his new tail and he was given gloves to dull the sharpness of his claws. When he tried the outfit on, Adrien was glad that it fit even if getting the tail through the cutout proved difficult.

Master Fu entered Hawkmoth’s wagon without knocking due to being angry with him “what's with the intrusion?” Hawkmoth asked as he glared at the magician. “You know why, how could you do that to that man?” Master Fu demanded “I was bored plus he seemed interesting” Hawkmoth smiled “that doesn't give you a right to enslave an innocent man, Felix!” the voodoo master twitched at his real name “I told you to never say that name” Hawkmoth stood up slowly with anger “I remember I discovered a young boy with a rare gift long ago and I wanted to pass on what I learned. You've taken my lessons and used your powers for evil purposes” Master Fu told him “get out! If you don't, you'll be sorry!” Hawkmoth hissed as he slammed the door in Master Fu’s face once he was out of the wagon.

The magician looked at the door for a moment and sighed before leaving to check up on Adrien.


	7. The Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note that from this chapter on, updates may be slow since I do have a busy life. I will try to update often.

Adrien looked at himself in the mirror, impressed with his appearance when Master Fu walked into the tent. “Well, you've certainly cleaned up well Chat Noir" he smiled at the young man “thanks, I suppose" Adrien sighed sadly, his ears drooped against his blonde locks. Master Fu walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder “come now, you are the lithe black cat of this carnival and nothing should dampen your spirit” Adrien smiled gently at the old magician's words.

“The carnival will opening soon, tonight will be your debut. It will be a bit overwhelming at first but you'll get used to it as the night goes on" Adrien nodded and watched as Master Fu left the tent. He looked in the mirror and practiced changing his voice a little. Adrien left the tent after putting on the black top hat which had cutouts for his ears as well as the black polished cane that sat against the tent wall.

“ _This cat is ready"_ Adrien thought as a smirk made its way onto his lips. The gates to the carnival opened wide and before Adrien knew it, the grounds were full of patrons. He walked along the tents when he saw a couple of young women looking around in pairs. Adrien made his way over to them and they gasped out of fear when he came into their line of vision. “Good evening ladies, it's purrfect night isn't it?” Adrien winced in his head but kept up with his seductive facade “naughty tomcat" one of them giggled, no longer afraid “me? Naughty? Paw-lease, I would never dream of misbehaving in the presence of such lovely ladies" Adrien smirked and kissed them each on the back of their hands before they walked away giggling.

“Well done, the puns could use some work but your acting is pretty good" Master Fu grinned as he walked past Adrien “I'm trying" Adrien told him “and there is nothing wrong with that" Master Fu told him as he walked into the performance tent. Adrien heard the announcement for the show an hour later so he decided to sneak into the tent to watch. “Ladies and Gentlemen, put your hands together for the scintillating ladies of the hoops! Rena Rouge and Queen Bee!” Adrien watched the acrobatic movements of the two and suddenly he got worried. He glanced at his usual seat in the front row knowing it would be empty. What would Marinette think? How would she react to his seat being empty?

Master Fu took the ring again “now for the one you've all been waiting for! Miss Ladybug who will be performing on the tightrope!” he announced as he gestured to the high rope above the tent. Adrien turned his attention to Marinette with bated breath _“don't look at where I usually sit! Please! I'm praying that you just focus on your routine!”_ Adrien mentally shouted but halfway through the show, his worst fears came true. Marinette glanced at where Adrien usually sat hoping that he was enjoying her performance and her eyes widened. _“He's not here!”_ she thought. As Marinette took a step forward, she lost her balance and fell to the ground below. Everyone stood up as fast as they could with gasps and murmurs as she fell.

Her wings opened by themselves but she still landed hard to the ground as they hadn't opened on time. Master Fu ran to her side and turned to the audience “ladies and gentlemen, stay in your seats for the time being!” Luka rushed over to pick Marinette up bridal style then he took her backstage. Adrien looked away ashamed “ _this is all my fault”_ was the only thought before Adrien closed his eyes then he left the tent after opening them again. Master Fu joined Chloe and Alya backstage as Luka looked over Marinette for any signs of injury “how is she?” Luka looked up with a sigh “slight sprain on her right ankle but nothing too serious, can you still perform tonight?” Luka looked back at Marinette who only shook her head wordlessly “i’ll tell the patrons, Alya can you bring her to her tent?” Master Fu looked back at her “yes, i can do that” Master Fu nodded and walked back out to the ring.

“Attention, due to Miss Ladybug’s injury, tonight’s performance is cancelled. I apologize for the inconvenience” Master Fu watched all the patrons leave the tent and he hoped none of them would be angry. Alya helped Marinette to her tent and once they got there, she set her best friend onto the bed “what happened? You usually do that routine flawlessly” Alya sat down beside Marinette “Adrien wasn’t here tonight” she whispered as tears fell down her cheeks. Alya hugged Marinette and sighed gently “maybe his father found out and forbade him to come here again” she told her “this is what i get for letting my guard down and thinking that someone finally sees me for who i am and not for what i am” Marinette mumbled. Alya held her close not know what to say to her heartbroken friend.

Hawkmoth clapped his hands as Adrien came into view “well i guess possessing bad luck is your talent” Hawkmoth told him amused. Adrien growled and lunged at him but in doing so it had caused the collar on his neck to administer a shock which made Adrien to fall to the ground. “I told you that you'd get punished if you step out of line, that includes attacking your master" Hawkmoth told him “you are not my master” Adrien spat which made the voodoo man chuckle “I beg to differ, I am your master while you are wearing that collar around your neck” and with those words, Hawkmoth walked away leaving Adrien alone in the dirt.

Alya eventually left Marinette alone in her tent do she could get her outfit off after hearing the bell which signified the gate closing. Marinette stayed in her costume however as she sat on her bed. Chloe paced outside the performance tent when she saw Alya walk up “how is she?” Chloe asked “well aside from her hurt ankle, she's hurt emotionally. Adrien didn't show up tonight” Alya explained “stupid bastard” Chloe muttered “I know but we can't do anything about it, all we can do is be there for our friend" Alya sighed “you know, if Nathaniel did something like that to me, i’d kill him” Chloe added “and i suppose it would be the same if Nino did that to me but that's not the point, this guy really hurt Marinette tonight” Alya told her. Chloe looked deep in thought but couldn't come up with anything good “I was thinking that maybe we could set Mari up with Luka since we all know she had the biggest crush on him but it wouldn't work would it?” she looked at Alya as she leaned against the tent pole “normally I'd say it's a good idea but not right now, let's give her time to heal" Chloe smirked suddenly “what about Chat Noir? The new guy?” Alya looked at her shocked.

While it's true that Chat Noir almost looked like Adrien but would it really be enough?

“I don't know if that is a good idea, he's new plus we all don't know anything about him or where he came from" Alya told her as she sat down on an empty crate “which is why it's perfect!” Chloe sat down beside her “Chloe, no please don't match them up” Alya looked at Chloe with big brown eyes trying to guilt trip her. It worked as she sighed “fine fine but only because I value you and Mari as friends” Alya hugged Chloe and stood to leave “I'll come with you, I need to grab something sweet” Chloe stood up and walked with her to the dining tent.

Marinette hopped out of the tent and flew up to her usual dancing spot overlooking the Paris Opera and she sat down on the ledge remembering the last time she and Adrien talked.

“ _You know, I might be able to get you into the ballet school” Adrien told her “are you serious? Look at me, I have ladybug wings and antennae. They won't let me in even with your help” Marinette asked him in shock “you may look different but you have a lot of spirit and passion, it shouldn't matter what you look like as long as you keep your passion alive, I promise you will learn more about ballet then you'll make your debut at the Opera" Adrien smiled and Marinette blushed and sat closer to him._

_“I'm holding you to your promise then and I want you to be there in the front row” she smiled as she leaned her head against Adrien’s shoulder._

Fresh tears made their way to Marinette’s eyes “I was such a fool for believing him” she looked down at her lap and cried. It was a few hours before she floated back down to the ground where Chat Noir stood waiting “good evening, my lady are you alright? I heard you got hurt today" he asked “just just a sprain, nothing too serious. Thank you for your concern" Marinette smiled gently.

Adrien knew she was hurting as her smile didn't seem genuine and knew that it was all his fault. “I'll help you to your tent, it's the least I can do for you since you brought in a stray cat like me" Adrien walked over and picked her up bridal style. “You don’t have to do this, I can manage" Marinette tried to tell him but he didn't listen. Once Adrien was in her tent, he noted that almost everything was a light shade of pink and there were pink flowers decorating the corners. Adrien then proceeded to set her down gently on her bed. “Get some rest, you need to heal your ankle" he smiled gently and was about to leave the tent when she stopped him “can you stay until I fall asleep?” Marinette asked “certainly, my lady" Adrien turned around and sat down beside the bed.

“Normally I don't ask that of anybody but I feel safe with you, Chat" Marinette mumbled softly “I'm here if you need me" Adrien told her and he started to hum a soft lullaby. Within a few minutes, Marinette fell into a deep sleep. When she did, Adrien stood up and looked at her sleeping form “goodnight Marinette" he whispered before he left the tent.


	8. Secrets

_ 12 hours prior to Chapter 7- Agreste Manor _

 

Gabriel sighed as he walked the hallway leading to his son’s room. He did some thinking and it led him to the conclusion that he was in the wrong last night. Not only did Gabriel isolate Adrien to his room, he almost killed him in his rage. Emilie would have been so furious with Gabriel if she were alive today. Once Gabriel was standing in front of Adrien’s bedroom door, he knocked “Son? Are you awake?” he sighed once he heard no answer. “Adrien, i want to say i’m so terribly sorry for my actions last night. I endangered your life and i have no right to call myself your father, if you want your freedom then i will stand aside to let you have that freedom” again Gabriel was met with silence.

Gabriel slowly opened the door “Adrien, i’m coming in” he announced gently. Once he had the door open fully, he gasped then he ran to the open window and the makeshift blanket rope. Adrien had run away during the night! “Nathalie!” Gabriel shouted “yes sir..oh my goodness!” Nathalie looked in shock once she came into the room. “Nathalie, call the police and have them put out a missing persons notice. Have them find my son!” “Yes sir!” she then ran out of the room. Gabriel felt guilty since he was the reason why Adrien ran off in the first place.

Half a day went by and Gabriel didn’t hear of any news that Adrien had been found. He looked at Nathalie with a sigh “i’ll be in my chambers, please let me know if you heard anything about my son” she bowed her head “certainly sir” and with that, Nathalie watched him walk out of the study. Nino whistled happily as he walked towards the Agreste Mansion, he didn’t know what had occurred during the night after he brought Adrien back home. When he arrived at the gate, he rang the bell. Nino didn’t expect Miss Sancour to greet him though “it’s you, Nino, what may i do for you?” Nathalie asked “i was wondering if Adrien could spend some time with me today, is he available?” Nino asked her “Oh you must not have heard, Adrien ran away last night and we haven't been able to find him. I’m sorry you came here for nothing” Nino looked at her with shock but couldn't say anything more as she walked back into the mansion.

Something must of happened between Adrien and his father last night which is why Adrien ran off. “There’s only one place he would go” Nino whispered to himself then went in the direction of Carnaval Miraculeux. Nino knew it would be closed now but hoped that he could talk to Master Fu and see if Adrien really did come to the carnival. When Nino arrived at the closed gate, he saw the workers doing their jobs and thought he could never get their attention until luck came his way. “Well hello handsome, a little early to be coming here isn’t it?” Alya came into view with a seductive smirk on her lips “oh my darling, you do know how to charm a fellow don’t you?” Nino smiled then his expression turned serious “i need to speak with Master Fu, it’s urgent” Alya put her hands on her hips and her ears slightly flattened against her head “and here i thought you wanted to see me” “Alya, sweetheart i love you with all my heart and i will always want to see you, Adrien is missing and i think he might have ran away to come here” Nino explained.

Alya looked at him for a moment then sighed “wait here, i’ll get him but i want to see you tonight in my tent” She flicked her tail at him and walked away. A few minutes later, Master Fu came into view “Nino my boy, so nice to see you, what may i do for you?” “my friend Adrien is missing, he loved coming here to watch Miss Ladybug and i have reasons to believe that after he left his home, he came here” Nino explained “i’m sorry Nino but he didn’t come here, only one came to us last night but it wasn’t Adrien i can assure you” Master Fu told him while mentally wincing at the lie “oh i see, thank you Master Fu” Nino bowed and walked away. Master Fu hated lying to the young man since he and Alya were so close but it was to protect Adrien from Hawkmoth.

_ Present _

Master Fu called Adrien to his tent in order to talk “you wanted to see me?” Adrien asked as he entered the tent “yes, Nino was here yesterday looking for you before the carnival opened” Adrien looked at him shocked “he did? did you tell him i was here?” “no i did not, if i had done so Hawkmoth would have punished you for it by turning you into a cat and i hope you’ll forgive me for not telling you sooner” Master Fu told him and turned around to grab the kettle which was whistling. Adrien noticed a picture of a girl that looked similar to Marinette on the mantle as well as a beautiful necklace that had a blue teardrop shaped jewel in the middle of a silver pendant. The pendant was on a black cord with a weird looking clasp. Adrien looked at the picture again and felt a small aura of sadness emanating from it. Beside her picture was another of a young boy with short blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. He was dressed in what looked like a magician’s outfit with a wide smile on his face. Adrien couldn’t help but feel like he’s seen that boy before. “There you go, a cup of tea for you” Master Fu smiled and placed the cup in front of Adrien.

“Master Fu, who is that girl and boy in the picture?” Adrien asked “you know that saying curiosity killed the cat?” Master Fu looked at him “yes but satisfaction brought it back” Adrien told him “not in this instance, the satisfaction you wish for may leave you a broken mess” Adrien didn’t bring it up again. Everyone had their secrets to keep and it wasn’t his intention to pry those secrets open. Master Fu watched Adrien leave and sighed gently before going to the picture of the girl “i’ll have to tell him someday about you, my sweet innocent Bridgette” tears fell down his cheeks, tears that were shed for both her and the picture of the smiling boy beside her picture.

Adrien went over to check up on Marinette and saw that she was walking around “Hello, my lady” she looked over and waved before going over to him “how is your ankle today?” he asked “better, still hurts when i move it the wrong way but other than that, i’m good” Marinette smiled “that’s a relief, will you be able to perform tonight?” Adrien tilted his head “Master Fu advised against it, Alya and Chloe will be performing though” Marinette answered “understandable, he doesn’t want you to hurt yourself more” Adrien smiled “would you like to spend time with me when the carnival opens? i’ll get dressed up and we can walk around the carnival grounds” Marinette looked at him “of course but actually i have a better idea in mind” Adrien told her.

He had a brilliant plan in mind, he just needed the right outfits in order to do it. The photos of the boy and girl in Master Fu’s tent were forgotten due to Adrien’s excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one was painfully short but i didn't want to spoil the surprise of the date the two were going on :)


End file.
